Turkey Pathiri

Updated on May 4, 2020 By ShaliniLeave a Comment - This post contains affiliate links which means if you use them to make a purchase, I'll earn enough money to maybe buy me a lil' something - an ingredient, probably.

Turkey Pathiri or Turkish Pathal is a traditional Ramadan snack from the Malabar region of Kerala, South India. These are deep-fried dumplings stuffed with a delicious filling of boiled egg, chicken, and/or any other meat.

The holy month of Ramadan is here but with a life-threatening virus looming over us, it is near impossible to get together with family and friends, for prayers and charity. But we do need all the positive vibes and blessings this month brings to us.

That’s one of the reasons I decided to bring to you some amazing Ramzan recipes on this blog made with everyday ingredients. First up is Turkey Pathiri aka Thurki Pathiri., where Turkey (pronounced as Thurki in Malayalam) is the country and Pathiri is a pancake made of flour.

Here’s a little insight on how this dish got its name.

History tells us that when Arabs made their way to the coasts of Kerala, they also brought with them some unique foods as well. Hence the strong influence of Arabic and Mediterranean foods can be seen in the Mapilla cuisine (Muslim cuisine) of the Malabar region of Kerala.

I had never made a Turkey Pathiri before today because I always thought it was difficult, let alone complex. However, I was determined to make it this one time and let you know how it turned out, good or bad. And guess what?

What is Turkey Pathiri?

Turkey Pathiri is a fried dumpling made with a delicious boiled egg and meat filling. In a way, you may equate this with a Kerala Style Egg Puffs but in the shape of a moneybag and without the complexity of pastry sheets or puff squares.

On a rolled flour flatbread, a spoonful of filling is placed, topped with (half) a boiled egg, and the edges of the flatbread are brought together, folding and sealing as you go to form a moneybag-shaped dumpling.

Layered Turkey Pathiri

Traditionally, Turkey Pathiri has many layers. So, when you fry your moneybag dumplings,, the final dish is not yet ready. For a layered Turkey Pathiri, repeat the process, but instead of a boiled egg, you top the filling with a fried dumpling.

You can add varying fillings as you build the layers. For example, on your first dumpling, it is boiled egg and chicken, on the second it could be mutton masala and the fried dumpling, the third layer could be shrimp masala and the double-layer-fried dumpling and so on.

Below is a double-layered Turkey Pathiri. They say you could make up to seven layers. Imagine the size of it and how many people can actually gorge on just one of it?!!

Sounds Complicated? Follow the steps with me.

Step by Step Instructions with Pictures for Making Turkey Pathiri

Here’s how we can make Turkey Pathiri easily.

Let’s make the dough first. Knead together the flour, salt, oil, and water.

Let it rest for about half an hour. This will make the dough soft after so much of work done on it.

In the meanwhile, let’s do the prep work for the filling. Boil some chicken with red chili powder and salt. Once done, shred it.

Let’s also boil some eggs while the dough is resting.

Finely chop some onion, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves.

Keep it aside.

7. To make the filling, heat oil in a pan and add the finely chopped onion, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves. Saute for a couple of minutes until the raw smell goes away. 8. Add basic spice powders – turmeric, red chili, coriander, and garam masala.9. Add the shredded chicken and mix well. Season with some salt and pepper.10. Roll out the dough in two sizes, that is, if you plan to make a layered Turkey Pathiri. The smaller size will be the size of Puris and this will form the first layer. The other size should be a bit larger, enough to accommodate a filling and the fried pathiri.

11. To assemble, place a spoonful of filling on the center of the rolled wrapper.12. Place a boiled egg or half of it, as I did.13. Gather the edges of the dough to the center using one hand, folding and sealing as you go with the other hand. It will come naturally to you. Don’t stress over it. Try!14. Pinch and twist at the top, giving it a shape of a moneybag.

15. Deep fry the dumplings in hot oil. Remove and keep aside. You may serve this one-layered Pathiris as well.16. To make a Double-Layered Pathiri, place a spoonful of filling (I used the same chicken filling. But you may make any other as mentioned above) in the center and top it with a fried dumpling. 17. Gather the ends of the dough to fold and repeat the same process.18. Fry in hot oil. Done!

Roll out the dough in two sizes, that is, if you plan to make a layered Turkey Pathiri. The smaller size will be the size of Puris and this will form the first layer. The other size should be a bit larger, enough to accommodate a filling and the fried pathiri.

To assemble, place a spoonful of filling on the center of the rolled wrapper.

Place a full boiled egg or half of it, as I did.

Gather the edges of the dough to the center using one hand, folding and sealing as you go with the other hand.

Pinch and twist at the top, giving it a shape of a moneybag.

Deep fry the dumplings in hot oil. Remove and keep aside. You may serve this one-layered Pathiris as well.

To make a Double-Layered Pathiri, place a spoonful of filling in the center and top it with a fried dumpling.

About Shalini

Namaste! I'm Shalini, the blogger behind Something's Cooking(since 2014). I share only our best, family approved recipes with YOU because I've tried and tested every recipe published on this blog. You can find easy Keto, low-carb recipes, and authentic Indian recipes including South Indian (Kerala) foods. You can rest assured that Indian cooking will be made easy. Thanks for stopping by! I'm so happy you're here.

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Hey there, I'm Shalini, food blogger and aspiring YouTuber. I live in the beautiful land of India and in my blog you can find authentic Indian recipes. I'm a Keto enthusiast and here you will also find ketogenic diet recipes for beginners.